To Save The Aoiya
by Kay-san
Summary: The Aoiya has fallen on hard times and it's up to the two Okashira's to come up with a solution. But what happens when a stoic man has to be the lead in a romantic play!
1. How It Happened

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way, shape or form. Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Sony, Jump, etc. This fanfic is made for entertainment purposes and no money is being made from this fic.  
  
To Save The Aoiya Chapter 1: How It Happened  
  
Misao wearily made her way down the dark street to the Aoiya. She could have stopped and rested for the night, but she was ready to be back in her own room in her own bed. Dawn was fast approaching, but she knew Jiya would take pity and let her sleep in for the day. She dragged her heavy limbs, the lamp in front of the Aoiya blurring as her vision wavered from exhaustion. "Damn it was stupid to walk all night after traveling all day yesterday." In her mind the words were clear, but would have been slurred to any listeners. She climbed the stairs and crawled into her bed, not even putting forth the effort to change into sleeping clothes.  
  
Misao woke close to noon, the sun hurting her eyes. "Shit. I'm not ready to get up yet." She tried to go back to sleep, but the banging and talking in the kitchen downstairs combined with the sun made it impossible. She grumpily threw her covers back and headed into the bathhouse. Once clean and changed into fresh clothes she felt ten times better and put on a smile for her family.  
  
"I'm home, everyone!"  
  
Okon and Omasu smiled broadly at her. "Misao-chan! How did the mission go?"  
  
Misao rolled her eyes. "Well, it was fine until I found out I had to play the part of Saitoh's female companion to get into the drug dealer's house." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "That man is horrible. It was all I could do to keep from knocking him out through the whole ordeal."  
  
Shiro chuckled as he passed her. "Maybe it would have done him some good to get knocked out."  
  
Misao nodded her head in agreement. "It would have, but the mission would have been ruined."  
  
Okina burst through the door. "I knew I heard my pretty Misao's voice!"  
  
He grabbed her in his bone-crushing bear hug and swung her around.  
  
Misao began to flail her arms and gasp. "Jiya! Can't.breathe."  
  
The old man dropped her to the ground. "Sorry, Misao-chan! I just miss you so when you're gone."  
  
Misao picked herself up and straightened her clothing. "Well, you want my report?"  
  
Okina nodded and lead Misao upstairs into his office. "Begin when you're ready, Misao."  
  
Misao took a seat across from him and took a deep breath. "Well, we went undercover, got into the house and managed to gather the incriminating documents. Then, I was excused and came home."  
  
Okina eyed her suspiciously. "Yes, I see. I sent you with more than enough money for your travels, so where is the extra?"  
  
Misao squirmed under his gaze. "Well, you see.I needed a few things for the mission.and then.well."  
  
The old man sighed. "Misao, you use way too much money on these missions. I understand it's hard to be away from home and you like to indulge a little on the way back, but you can't spend as much as you do."  
  
"I know that, Jiya. But, it's so hard when I've got the money to stay in a nice hotel. If you didn't give me the extra money I wouldn't spend it. You know how bad I am with finances."  
  
He shook his head. "I hate to bring this up since you just got home, but we have a big problem."  
  
Misao stopped fidgeting and looked him in the eye. "What kind of problem?"  
  
Okina began to pace as he explained the situation to Misao. "I don't want you to feel that all of this rests on your shoulders. This problem has been growing for some time. Do you understand?"  
  
Misao nodded, slightly confused.  
  
"I won't beat around the bush or sugar coat this. The Aoiya is late on many of its payments. We're out of money, basically. Part of it is because of our recent assistance in police missions while they're short on officers. But lately, we just haven't had as many customers as we used to.  
  
Despite that, we haven't cut back on our spending to make up for it. As I said, it's been happening for a while now and I should have done something to stop it, but I didn't and now we're in very big trouble. I would like you to take a look at the recent ledgers and make sure I've calculated everything correctly. I know we're broke, but I want to make sure I've got the right figures."  
  
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Misao tapped her finger to her mouth as Okina paced the floor in his office, stroking his beard. "Jiya, you've calculated everything correctly. What are we going to do?"  
  
Okina pinched the bridge of his nose, as if warding off a headache. "We'll call a meeting and see what we can come up with. That's the only thing we can do."  
  
Misao got up to leave. "I'll go see what Aoshi-sama thinks."  
  
Her surrogate grandfather grabbed her arm. "You most certainly will not, young lady."  
  
"But, Jiya!"  
  
"Misao, he needs to heal right now. Let him deal with his personal problems first."  
  
Misao blinked and gaped. "Have you lost your senses?! This pertains to him as well! He lives here and if we lose the restaurant, where will we all go? Don't you think that's a rather important issue that he should be a part of?"  
  
Okina sighed as he started for the door. "Tell him if you wish, but make it clear that he is not required to attend the meeting. We don't have to run to Aoshi for every problem that arises. We are capable of handling this ourselves, Misao." He slid the shoji shut, leaving Misao with her thoughts.  
  
The only one she could from at the moment was simple. "Shit."  
  
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A/N: Yes, it's humor as stated, but that happens once they figure out what to do! Let me know what ya think! Hugs & Kisses! 


	2. The Meeting

Hello! There was some concern over Misao's language last chapter and in all honesty, I don't know why I had her cussing. I can see her using 'damn' or maybe even in extreme situations 'shit', but I had more than necessary. So, sorry for that and the language will be clean from here on out! Hope you enjoy!  
  
To Save The Aoiya Chapter 2: The Meeting  
  
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Misao walked to the temple slowly. After hearing Jiya's news, she didn't have it in her to be happy and bouncy. She hadn't seen Aoshi in almost a month, but she was too weighed down by the news to rush to see him. She climbed the temple steps and made her way down the familiar corridors to his meditation room.  
  
She slid the shoji aside and took in his form. A month away had clearly dulled her picture of him. She sighed silently as she looked at him. The setting sun creating a background of purple, pink and orange; his black hair slightly blowing in the gentle breeze; face relaxed and at peace; he certainly was beautiful at that moment. Misao took a seat across from him and waited for him to open his eyes.  
  
He didn't disappoint and she offered him a smile. "Hello, Aoshi-sama. It's good to see you again."  
  
Aoshi nodded his greeting. "Misao. Did your mission go well?"  
  
"Yes, it did. But, there are more important matters I came to discuss with you."  
  
Aoshi gave her his full attention and waited patiently. Misao took a deep breath. "The Aoiya has run out of money. Due to our police missions and the decrease in customers, we are broke. Jiya plans to hold a meeting tonight after dinner to discuss our options. You may attend if you wish, but Jiya isn't going to force you to stay."  
  
Aoshi blinked slowly. "I will attend. This is very serious news, Misao."  
  
Misao nodded and stood to leave. "I understand the situation we're in. You don't have to lecture me on this or explain it, Aoshi-sama."  
  
She left the temple and grit her teeth as she walked home. "How dare he?! Does he think I'm some little kid who doesn't get it? I've been leading missions lately and here he comes thinking I don't understand the fact that  
  
we could lose our restaurant! The jerk! Love him or not, that was uncalled for!" She went to her room to fume while dinner was being prepared.  
  
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Dinner was quick and quiet. No one knew what was going on. Jiya had only told the others that an important issue needed to be discussed and a meeting would be held after dinner. Meetings were only called under very dire circumstances, so the tension was palpable in the room. Not having the desire to eat, most of the food was put away in case someone got hungry later. Once the table was cleared and the dinner things cleaned, Jiya got down to business.  
  
He surveyed the table and was slightly surprised Aoshi had joined them. He took a silent roll call in his mind and then looked to the ceiling, debating on his choice of words. "I called this meeting tonight, because of financial trouble in the Aoiya. I don't want any panic, we can remedy the situation, but we all need to pull together and make this work." He paused to stroke his beard and then began to pace as he continued. "I recently went over our finances and due to our assistance with the police force and the decline in customer activity, we should have cut back our expenditures, but we didn't. Because of that, we have been losing money for some time and I should have stopped it, but I didn't. Now, we have to think of some way to bring in money without spending a lot. Does anyone have any idea?"  
  
The room was silent for a few tense moments before Okon spoke up. "What about a different theme every night? You know, like the customer is in a different country on different nights of the week."  
  
Misao shook her head. "That would be fun, but there's another restaurant in town that does that. Plus, we would need money for the different decorations. We need something original."  
  
Omasu looked up after chewing on her lip for a bit. "This is very difficult since we can't spend any money."  
  
Shiro nodded. "You said it."  
  
Kuro's eyes grew wide as an idea struck him. "What if we have live music during our rush periods? I can play the guitar and I know most of us know how to play something!"  
  
Jiya shook his head. "We did that once before the war, but it didn't help much."  
  
Aoshi debated whether he should say what he was about to say. He really didn't want any part of it if they liked his idea, but they were in a pinch. He finally forced himself to say it. "What if we have a play? Omasu knows how to paint so she could do the scenery. Shiro and Kuro could build sets with the scrap we have left over from recent renovations. Misao and Okon could design and make the costumes and Okina could be the director. And since we're all spies and spying requires acting, I'm sure you all could pull it off."  
  
Everyone stared at him stunned and a giant grin slowly worked its way onto Okina's face. "That's perfect! All in favor of a play, raise your hand!"  
  
All hands went up and everyone began to chatter at once about what kind of play it should be. Okina clapped his hands to grab everyone's attention and they all settled down.  
  
"Now that we know what we're doing, we still have some things to discuss. What play will we do? Who will be our actors and actresses? We need to figure all of this out."  
  
Misao's eyes lit up. "What about a fantasy play? Fairies and magic and a handsome prince saving a beautiful princess."  
  
Okon giggled. "That would be rather difficult to perform, Misao. Maybe something more realistic."  
  
Omasu pulled out a small book she had been reading. "How about this story?"  
  
Misao leaned over to try to read the title on the small book. "What is it?"  
  
Omasu held it up so everyone could see it. "Cinderella."  
  
Shiro shook his head. "That's a rather depressing tale, Omasu."  
  
Omasu shook her head quickly. "No, no, it's not. The original Grimm version was vile, but this version is very romantic. The stepsisters in this are as ugly on the outside as they are inside and they've added some humor as well. And instead of a magic bird, there's a fairy godmother. It's a beautiful story."  
  
Okon and Misao smiled pleadingly at Okina and he sighed. "I suppose we could do Cinderella. But, not the Grimm version. We'll do the new version Omasu is reading. For tonight the meeting is over. Tomorrow we'll figure out who will take what role."  
  
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A/N: After a little research, I found out the original Cinderella was horrid! Birds pecking out eyes and what have you, but many versions circulated over the years and it evolved into the Disney version most known today! I'll be taking bits from Disney and bits from the Rogers & Hammerstein version. Anyway, please review! Hugs & Kisses! 


	3. Taking Up Roles

To Save The Aoiya 

Chapter 3: Taking Up Roles

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Misao sat reading the small book Omasu had given her.  She loved the story already, so the thought of doing the play amused her to no end.  She sighed as she read the end where the prince and Cinderella live happily ever after.  She closed the book and smiled dreamily as Okina came running into the room.

"My pretty Misao!"

Misao jumped in surprise.  "What?"

Okina smiled brightly at her.  "You'll be auditioning for the lead role, correct?"

Misao giggled.  "It would be fun, Jiya.  But, I think someone like Omasu or Okon would be better suited for it.  Perhaps I could be an ugly stepsister."

Okina frowned.  "Now, why would you say something like that?"

Misao waved a hand dismissively.  "Never mind.  Let's just get going with the auditions.  Who's going to be the judge?"

Okina smiled.  "Well, I figured we'd all vote so it's fair."

Misao nodded once.  "Good idea."

She let her smile fade as she considered her previous statement.  _'Perhaps I could be an ugly stepsister.' Probably what I'm best suited for anyway.  No chance that a weasel could play Cinderella.  Misao still saw herself as the scrawny sixteen year old kid she used to be.  Unlike those around her, she didn't see her own transformation.  She didn't see the figure that filled out, or the face that had lost its childish cuteness and gained feminine beauty, or the way she carried herself now, or the way her temper had toned down…she still saw the child in her mind's eye.  She posted the smile back in place as they entered the training hall where the auditions would be held._

"Okay, everyone!  Let's get these auditions going!"  Misao motioned for Omasu to take the stage and surprisingly, she wanted to be a stepsister.  _Looks like Okon will be Cinderella._  Misao laughed and giggled with everyone else as Omasu portrayed a clumsy, whiny stepsister.  They all 

clapped as she finished her part and Misao motioned for Okon to go next. To her utter shock, Okon wanted to be a stepsister as well.  _There's no way I can pull off Cinderella!  What are they doing?!_

After Okon, Kuro went up and auditioned for the role of the King's assistant.  Jiya, it was already decided, would be the King and Shiro, by default and because he was amazing at the audition, was cast as the prince.

Misao looked around a bit sadly.  "Isn't Aoshi-sama auditioning?"

Jiya shook his head.  "I'm afraid he really doesn't want to be in the play.  We can't force him."

Misao nodded.  There weren't anymore male parts anyway.  However, they needed two more women and they had no one else in the Oniwabanshuu to cast.  "Jiya, what will we do about the rest of the cast?  I'm the only girl left and we have three roles to fill."

Jiya cocked his head to the side and closed his eyes in thought.  "Hmmm.  What about our friends in Tokyo?  Do you think they'd be able to help out?"

Misao pondered it for a moment.  "I'm sure they would.  Kaoru could be Cinderella and Megumi could be the stepmother…"

The rest of the Oniwabanshuu quickly disagreed.  "No!  No!"

Misao raised an eyebrow as she looked at them.  Shiro cleared his throat.  "What we mean is, since this is an Oniwabanshuu play, it's only right that our current Okashira be the lead, right?"

Misao's eyes widened.  "You want ME to be Cinderella?"

They all nodded.  "I don't know guys.  I'm not nearly graceful or feminine enough to pull it off."

Kuro chuckled.  "You think too little of yourself, Misao.  You'll be great at it!"

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Misao left the training hall after a few more moments and the rest of the group sighed right after.  Omasu shook her head.  "Do you guys really think this will work?"

Shiro chuckled.  "Hey, don't worry!  We've got it all figured out right?  Misao will dress up and be the pretty princess and Aoshi will fall head over heels in love with her!"

Kuro coughed a bit.  "Um, that sounds a little too easy to actually work."

Shiro chuckled again.  "Well, once the prince starts flirting with the princess, I think our old Okashira will let his true feelings rise to the surface."

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Misao sat in the office with Jiya later that evening, going over everything that needed to be done.  "Well, we'll need a list of scenery so Omasu can get to painting, a list of sets so Shiro and Kuro can start building and a list of costumes so Okon and I can start designing and sewing."  Misao tapped her brush to her mouth as she thought.  

Okina's brows creased as he skimmed the book.  "We also need a script."

Misao looked at him questioningly.  "We go by the book."

Okina shook his head.  "We can't.  A lot of it is descriptions of places or what the characters are feeling is conveyed through story telling instead of dialogue.  The audience won't know what's going on unless we write an actual script with stage direction and all of that."

Misao sighed.  "I know who would be perfect to write it, but he doesn't want to help us."  She shot a miffed look over at the silent man in the corner.  

Aoshi looked up from the report he'd been preparing for some contacts in Osaka.  Misao stomped over to him.  "Aoshi-sama, we need help and since this is your home too, I think you should help us.  We need a script and I know you're good at stories.  You told me some great ones when I was little."  Misao ended on a whisper, thinking about the times when Aoshi was more open.  

The former Okashira sighed and put his brush down.  "You want me to help write the script?"

Misao beamed and nodded her head.  Aoshi put his lips together tightly, thinking.  "I'll help.  But only with the script."

Misao shrieked in happiness and grabbed the book from Okina.  "We're going on this version of the tale, so you need to read that and we'll start writing tomorrow!"

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Aoshi entered the office the next morning, the small book in his hand.  To his surprise, Misao was already madly scribbling bits on paper.  "Misao, what are you doing?"

Misao looked up.  "Aoshi-sama!  I was just getting some of the ideas in my head down on paper.  They're scattered thoughts, but at least this way we'll have some direction when we get to certain areas."

Aoshi nodded once and settled himself across the table from her.  "Okay, I've read the book.  I guess first off, we need to get the sets, costumes, and scenery listed so the others can get started on their work."

Misao smiled at him.  "Already done!"  She handed a list to Aoshi and he skimmed it.  

"Looks like you've got everything.  Good.  Have you handed everyone a list?"

Misao nodded again.  "Way ahead of you!  The only thing left is to start writing!"

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A/N:  So there we have it!  On the next chapter, the fun will begin!  And what's the rest of the group up to?  Hehe!  Hugs & Kisses!


	4. Writing With Aoshi

Sorry, I just haven't been in the writing mood lately.  I'm sure you all understand how that goes!  So, without further ado, enjoy chapter 4!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Warning: Some OOCness in thoughts!  Actually, strike that!  In RK we seldom hear what the characters are thinking, so it's pretty open!

To Save The Aoiya

Chapter 4: Writing With Aoshi

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Misao sighed, no it was more a huff, as Aoshi sat staring at a blank sheet of paper.  "Aoshi-sama, the story won't write itself.  You need to actually put the brush on the paper and form letters and words."

Aoshi tried to maintain his stoic façade as he looked at Misao, but there was a hint of the scowl he felt like giving her.  "I know that, Misao.  I'm thinking."

Misao sighed.  "Well how about we decide what kind of play this will be.  We have a lot of control over what happens.  For instance, we know the story, but we can decide in which _way_ the story is told."

Aoshi closed his eyes in thought for a second.  "How about a musical?"

Misao almost fell over.  _Cold, emotionless Aoshi-sama writing a musical?!  What the heck?!_  "Uh, are you sure you're up to that?  I mean, I don't mind singing and I know everyone in the play can sing, but can you write the music?"

Aoshi nodded once.  "It isn't hard to write music.  There are plenty of old compositions left here from your mother that she came up with on the piano.  All we would have to do is add words."

Misao felt a smile tugging at her mouth.  "That sounds great!"

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Shiro wiped at his brow as Kuro nailed two pieces of wood together.  "Hey, Kuro!  Do you think they're writing the script yet?"

Kuro smiled conspiratorially.  "I saw Misao go into the office as I was leaving my room this morning and then Aoshi went in right after breakfast while Misao was still in there."

Shiro grinned slightly.  "I hope this works.  I'm sick of those two moping 

around.  Maybe Aoshi will realize how he feels for Misao and they can start getting on with it."

Kuro looked up questioningly.  "'Getting on with it'?"  

Shiro grimaced.  "That sounded bad.  But you know what I mean, they can start their true relationship."

Kuro nodded.  "Sounds better."

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Misao felt like she needed to wring someone's neck.  Preferably Aoshi's neck.  She kept making circles with her hands under the table and shaking them back and forth like there was a neck in them.  _Okay, there's one happy scene so far and it's not really happy, but more bittersweet.  Cinderella sings about dreams and wishes and then it's all sad from there.  Ugh!   A little happiness never hurt anybody, Aoshi-sama!_

She stood up suddenly.  "You know, you seem to be getting along just fine without me.  I think I'll go train."

Aoshi waved a hand at her.  "Go right ahead.  You're the lead anyway, so you have enough to do already."

"Let me know when you come to the romantic stuff."  She mumbled, "I doubt you could handle that on your own."

Aoshi allowed himself a frown at her back.  _I'll show her a romantic scene.  She won't be able to say anything about it lacking either._

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Misao wiped her face clean and then smiled at the old man sitting in the corner.  "Did you need something, Jiya?"

Okina gave her a stern look.  "Why are you training while Aoshi writes the script alone?"

Misao sighed and then lowered herself with an ungraceful flop onto the floor.  "He stared at the paper for almost two hours.  TWO HOURS!"  She put up two fingers for emphasis.  "And he just STARED AT THE PAPER!"  

Okina cocked an eyebrow as Misao started to turn red.  "Did you help him out?"

Misao let her lips curl slightly.  "That man's impossible!  He lets me give him ideas, but the way it's actually written comes entirely from him."

Okina held back his amusement.  "Well, give him some time then and go see how it's coming along later.  He may have relented by then and be willing to accept your help."

Misao nodded as she left the practice area.  

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She made her way up to the office just before lunch to see how much progress the former Okashira had made.  She was about to speak out when she noticed he had fallen asleep and she quickly snapped her mouth shut.  She walked silently over to him and noticed some scribbles on a piece of paper.  She lifted it and began reading.

Song Lyrics at Ball between Cinderella and Prince

Ten minutes ago I met you

And we murmured our 'how do you do?'s

I wanted to ring out the bells

And fling out my arms

And to sing out the news

I have found her

She's an angel

With the dust of the stars in her eyes

We are dancing

We are flying

And she's taking me back to the skies

Misao sighed as she lowered the paper and saw a half-awake Aoshi looking at her.  He wasn't smirking out right, but it could clearly be seen in the haughtily raised eyebrow.  "Well?  I can write romantic things."

And with that being said, he let his head flop back down onto the table and fell asleep again.  

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When Aoshi woke up from his nap, he saw Misao sitting across from him furiously scribbling away.  He let is brow draw together in confusion and then put his mask back in place.  "Misao?"

Misao kept scribbling as she answered.  "I had some really good ideas and I just wanted to get them going before I forgot them."

Aoshi nodded once and moved around the table so he could read what she was writing.  Not only did she have a slight change in the opening scene, but a very cute scene afterwards that showed Cinderella in the marketplace with her stepmother and two stepsisters.  There was yet another song, and where Cinderella and the Prince first meet.  "That's quite good, Misao."

Misao gave him a superior smirk.  "And you were hesitant to let me write anything.  Shame on you, Aoshi-sama."

Aoshi's mask stayed firmly put, but he felt a little ice melt at Misao's teasing.  _Yes.  Shame on me._

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The next morning, Okina felt like he was in thirteen different places at once.  He was checking on sets, answering questions about scenery, approving costumes, it was a madhouse!  "We haven't even scratched the surface of what needs to be done!  This play will be the death of me."

Misao giggled at her surrogate grandfather.  "Oh, Jiya just relax!  You're letting yourself worry too much."

He frowned slightly at her.  "I don't think so, Misao-chan.  We don't have a full cast yet, either."

Misao smiled triumphantly at him.  "Wrong again!  I contacted Kaoru and the others a few days ago and got a reply just this morning.  Kaoru would be happy to help in any way she can and even though Megumi is reluctant and says we're insulting her, she'll play the evil stepmother."

Jiya shifted his shoulders as if a great weight had been lifted.  "Well, I guess everything is falling into place then."

Misao waved a hand.  "Just go do something else.  We've got everything under control."

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Aoshi scratched at his head.  "Come on, think, think, think."  Again, his arch rival was a blank sheet of paper and a nasty case of writer's block.  He sighed and laid the brush to the side.  _Misao wrote almost the entire first half!  Why can't I even come up with a small slip of story?!_

He was about to swear, which is a sign of great annoyance for Aoshi, when Misao walked in, halting all his thoughts.  She glided up to his side, half skipping the whole way and looked over his shoulder at the paper.

She ran a hand over her face and started to chew on a finger.  "Not again, Aoshi-sama!"  

Aoshi pursed his lips since Misao wouldn't be able to see it from behind him.  _She's annoyed.  And rightfully so!_

"Now, if you just can't cut it maybe you should leave the writing to me and then be my editor."  She teased and then spun out the door, laughing.

Aoshi watched her leave and felt a small smile tug up the corners of his mouth.  _It's nice to feel human again.  Misao's teasing seems to help ease some of the guilt.  _

Finally, an idea hit him and he began to write.  As the day turned into night, Aoshi finally set his brush aside and let out a breath.  Misao was coming into the office to tell him to go to bed when he thrust a stack of paper into her hands.  "It's done."

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A/N:  Of course you can't see what they're writing!  If you did the play wouldn't be any fun now would it?!  Anyway, hope you enjoyed and please leave a review!  Hugs & Kisses!


	5. Arrival of The Tokyo Group

Yes, I know it's been a month since I last updated.  Sorry!  We had some relatives in town and it wouldn't be polite to go typing away at the computer while they're here.  Anyway, here's the next bit and I hope you enjoy!

To Save The Aoiya

Chapter 5: Arrival of The Tokyo Group

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Misao adjusted her obi and headed to the train station to meet the gang from Tokyo.  As she walked along, she went over what Aoshi had written the night before.  _That was amazing!  I didn't think he had it in him to write something like that, but it was so romantic and absolutely made me want to melt._

She looked up as a familiar, but annoying shout reached her ears.  

"Hey, Weasel Girl!  Is that you?"

Misao grit her teeth but tried to smile.  "Sanosuke!  Nice to see you're still as uncouth as ever!"

She smiled a true smile and greeted the rest of her friends.  "What are you guys doing here already?  I thought your train didn't come in for another hour."

Kaoru grinned at her.  "Well, we got to the station early and they just happened to have a few open seats on the train leaving at that moment and by luck, it was stopping in Kyoto.  The driver offered to let us go on that train and we accepted."

Misao nodded.  "I see.  Well, let's all go to the Aoiya so you guys can get settled in and we can discuss the play!"

Megumi stepped up next to her and began to ask questions.  "So, I'm playing the evil stepmother, fine and dandy.  But, my daughters are Okon and Omasu?  We're the same age!  How will we pull that off?"

Misao giggled.  "Megumi, did you forget what we are?  We're spies!  We have extensive knowledge of make-up techniques.  We'll be able to disguise your real age."

Kenshin looked at the way Misao carried her head high and sort of glided as she walked.  "You've grown up quite a bit since we last saw you, Misao-dono."

Misao blushed.  "Really?"

Kenshin nodded.  "Yes.  I see you've taken to wearing kimonos instead of your ninja gear."

Misao shook her head.  "I only wear these when I leave the Aoiya.  But when I'm at home, I still wear the regular gear.  The only difference now is I wear the pants instead of the shorts."

Kaoru noticed Misao's blush and gave Kenshin a sly grin.  _She has grown up a lot.  She just doesn't realize it yet and Kenshin made her a little embarrassed.  She decided to save her friend from her uncomfortable situation.  "So, Misao you haven't told me what I'm doing here."_

Misao looked up.  "Oh, that's right!  I told Megumi, but not you.  I was figuring you could play the fairy godmother.  That's the only role that still needs to be filled."

Kaoru clapped her hands.  "That sounds like fun!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

After all the greetings had been done, they discussed some play details while the newcomers read the script.  Kaoru glanced at Misao with dreamy eyes.  "Aoshi wrote this?  It's so…" she merely sighed.

Misao smiled.  "I know what you mean."

Kenshin frowned at Kaoru.  "I can be romantic, too."

Kaoru winked at her fiancé.  "I know, anata.  But something like this coming from Aoshi is unbelievable."

And at that moment, the man in question entered the room.  "Hello."

Kenshin grinned at the tall man.  "Aoshi!  Good to see you again."

Aoshi nodded his welcome and sat down next to Misao.  "I came in to tell you all that Okina would like to have his first rehearsal tonight.  And, I also needed to tell Kamiya-san and Takani-san that Okon wanted to see you for measurements for your costumes."

Yahiko got up from his seat.  "Is it alright if I use the training hall here?"

Misao nodded.  "Knock yourself out!"  She grinned evilly at the young 

samurai.  "And I do mean that literally."

Sanosuke rose with him.  "I'll go with you."

Kaoru and Megumi followed Misao up the stairs to Okon's room and Aoshi stayed seated with Kenshin.  

Kenshin waited until the women had made their way up the stairs.  "So, Misao-dono has grown quite a bit.  Both physically and mentally."

Aoshi nodded slightly.  "She has matured recently."

Kenshin was going to push the matter, but decided to let it rest.  They were staying for a few weeks, so he'd have plenty of time later to talk to Aoshi about Misao.

"I understand you and Kamiya-san are engaged."

Kenshin blushed lightly as a huge grin crossed his face.  "Yes.  We're getting married shortly after returning to Tokyo.  Kaoru wanted to hurry and marry now, but I know she'll regret it if she doesn't have a proper wedding planned out.  I just wanted her to take her time and have the wedding of her dreams."  
  


Aoshi couldn't help but feel slightly jealous.  Usually emotions were kept to a minimum for the former Okashira, and certainly jealousy was one he kept buried deep, but it crept out.  As he got older, he had begun to desire a family and crave the stability that Kenshin had achieved.  But, he figured those things were not meant to be.  He couldn't care for a wife the way she would deserve with so much danger in his job and so much weight still on his soul.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kaoru scowled at the drawing for her costume.  "No way.  I am NOT wearing THAT!"  She pointed a finger at the sketch.

Misao giggled at her friend's expression while Megumi laughed so hard tears were streaming down her pale face.  Okon frowned at Kaoru.  "Hey!  It's not that bad!  You're a FAIRY for crying out loud!"

Kaoru took a deep breath.  "Okon, I know you worked hard on the idea for the costume, but it wouldn't be appropriate to wear that.  It's only knee length!"

The costume was a white knee-length dress, a silver belt, and wings.  

Cute as it was, it really wasn't appropriate for a grown woman to wear.

Okon chewed her bottom lip.  "Okay, if we make it regular length, would you wear it then?"

Kaoru rose one eyebrow.  "Are the wings necessary?"

Okon felt like steam was coming out of her ears.  "I like the wings!"

Kaoru backed up.  "Okay, okay.  I'll wear the wings."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 After dinner, everyone made their way into the training hall to have their first rehearsal.  The costumes weren't ready and the sets and scenery were still works in progress, but they could begin learning their lines.  Aoshi even attended to see how his script worked when it was being acted out.

To everyone's surprise, even Kaoru and Megumi were wonderful actresses and Kaoru had no problem with her musical number.

As Shiro and Misao began their song and dance at the ball, Shiro glanced at Okina and winked.  The old man nodded slightly and the real show began.  Shiro twirled Misao and at the same time made it look as though he twisted his ankle.  He let himself flop to the ground with a hiss.

Misao knelt down in concern.  "Shiro!  Are you alright?"

The rest of the people in the room came a little closer.  Megumi pushed a few people aside.  "Let me have a look."

She nodded at Shiro letting him know she knew what was going on and gently moved his foot slightly.  He let out another hiss of pain and Megumi gingerly felt the joint itself.  "I do believe it's broken."

Shiro feigned a surprised look.  "It can't be broken.  The play is only in three weeks."

Megumi gave him a stern look.  "In that case, we'll need a new prince.  It will take about six weeks for this to heal."

Shiro gave her his thanks with his eyes and Megumi nodded in understanding.  Aoshi looked over at the three men from Tokyo.  Yahiko put his hands up quickly.  "Don't look at me!"

Kenshin scratched the back of his head.  "Sessha can't act."

Aoshi pinned Sanosuke with his gaze.  "Uh-uh.  I'm not playing prince with the Weasel Girl."

Misao felt her eyes mist over.  "We need to do this to save the Aoiya.  Am I that repulsive that you won't even ACT like you like me?"

Aoshi felt his heart constrict.  _Someone's got to be the prince.  How could Sagara make her feel like that?! Aoshi felt like drawing his kodachi and slicing him in two, but he pushed the urge aside._

Okina looked at Aoshi.  "I'm afraid you'll have to be the prince, Aoshi.  You're the one who wrote the script and the only one left who could do this."

Aoshi wanted to run for the hills, to just bolt out of there and yell 'See ya later' over his shoulder.  But, his sense of duty and the tears welling up in Misao's hurt-filled eyes compelled him to stay.  "I'll do it."

He was reluctantly doing it, but doing it all the same.

Megumi cleared her throat.  "Well, I'm afraid rehearsal is over for tonight.  I'll need some help getting Shiro up to his room so I can bandage his ankle."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Once everyone was sure that Misao and Aoshi were asleep, they all snuck into Shiro's room.  

Okina smirked at Megumi.  "Good job on that performance."

Megumi flicked her hair.  "Of course."

Kenshin smiled softly.  "I felt bad for Misao-dono.  Sanosuke's answer upset her greatly."

Kaoru looked at Sano.  "You didn't have to be THAT mean, you know."

Omasu went to the fighter's defense.  "Well, he got the point across and that's all we needed.  Now, those two idiots can let their true feelings out."

Kuro nodded.  "Misao's ready.  We don't need to prod her along."

Shiro agreed.  "And now that Aoshi is going to be the lead, everything's pretty much in place.  All we need to do now is follow this through."

Okina nodded as he fidgeted with the bow in his beard.  "Just three weeks and then we can tell them the truth."

Okon whispered.  "Are you going to let them know about the finances after the play?"

Okina chuckled.  "I think it would be priceless to see the looks on their faces when they realize we never were in debt.  I was just so sick of Misao moping about and Aoshi giving Misao those longing looks.  He thinks no one sees it, but I do.  He wants to marry Misao and he wants a family.  He just needs to realize it himself."

Shiro yawned.  "Well, I'm glad everything's in place.  And now, I'm going to sleep.  It's going to be a tough acting job to pretend my ankle's broken for the next three weeks."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A/N:  Those sneaky people!  Tricking our Aoshi and Misao like that!  Well, whatever works!  Hehehe!  I'm having fun with this!   Anyway, please review and hope you enjoy!  Hugs & Kisses!


	6. How Will I Get Through This!

To Save The Aoiya

Chapter 6: How Will I Get Through This?!

Aoshi lay in his room the next morning, pondering what the heck he had gotten himself into.  He began to quietly talk to himself.  "Okay, I'm the prince now.  So, I need to act romantic and gentlemanly.  That shouldn't be too hard."  A sudden thought struck him and he bolted upright.  "How will Misao react?  I know she'll understand it's just a play, but if I act TOO well, she may misinterpret things."  

He settled back onto his futon, chewing his bottom lip.  Then, yet again, he bolted up after having a thought.  "There's a kiss scene.  Oh, dear gods.  There are a few kiss scenes.  What the hell am I going to do?!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Misao hummed as she tied her hair into a high ponytail.  Kaoru smiled impishly at her young friend.  "You seem to be in high spirits today."

Misao turned and smiled brightly at her.  "So I am.  You know, it hurt last night that no one wanted to be the prince.  But it turned out for the best."  She grinned devilishly at Kaoru and pulled out her copy of the script.  "Look."  She pointed at a spot on the paper and Kaoru giggled.  Misao turned to another spot and Kaoru giggled again.  Misao pointed to yet another spot and Kaoru laughed outright.  

"Goodness, girl!  How many kisses did you two right into the script anyway?"

Misao smirked.  "Not enough."

After a good laugh Misao grew a bit serious.  "This may sound bad, but I'm glad Shiro hurt his ankle.  If he didn't, I would have had my first kiss with Shiro.  He's great and all, but I don't love him.  Now, it will be with Aoshi-sama.  And even if he doesn't love me, I love him.  So my first kiss will be with the man I love.  And that's what matters to me."

Kaoru patted her friend's hand and then grabbed it, pulling Misao to her feet.  "Let's get some breakfast.  I'm starved!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Misao and Kaoru entered the dining hall where everyone else was already seated.  Omasu teased the two.  "Took you long enough!  Trying to be fashionably late?"

Misao giggled.  "Of course!  If we were here on time no one would notice our stunning arrival."

She took her usual seat next to Aoshi and began to blush.  She chanced a glance at his lips and he didn't seem to notice.  _Soon those lips will be mine, baby!  Pucker up!  Ooh, Misao.  Your dirty little thoughts are truly scandalous!_  She gave a mental laugh and suppressed the smile threatening to break through.

Okina swallowed his mouthful of rice and clapped to gather everyone's attention.  "I want to have rehearsal after breakfast.  And then, while we work in the restaurant, I want Aoshi and Misao to continue rehearsing.  They have more lines than the rest of us.  Then, this evening we'll have another rehearsal.  So Aoshi and Misao, you two have a full day of nothing but rehearsing."

Misao smiled and nodded.  Aoshi felt a little nervous.  _If we rehearse all day, we'll probably get to at least one of the kissing scenes.  Oh crap._

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kaoru gave Misao a quick thumbs up sign before the young woman took to their make-shift stage.  Misao, again, performed her routine and musical numbers near perfect and even when she had to look at her script, she didn't miss a beat.  

Surprisingly, Aoshi was a magnificent prince!  He had a regal air to him anyway, so with his tall stature and deep voice, he was wonderful.  Misao tried not to drool over him during their meeting in the play and then tried to be convincing as she shunned his advances in the beginning.  

However, everyone was so great that they did indeed get to the first kissing scene.  Aoshi began to sweat bullets and actually got close to panicking.  _Oh god.  Oh god.  Oh god.  Oh god.  What am I going to do?!  I know it has to be done eventually, but I'm not ready for this!_

Misao noticed a sweat bead trickle down his face and smirked.  She grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.  "Don't worry, Aoshi-sama.  We don't have to rehearse it if you don't want to."  Even though it made her want to scream when she said it, she also knew he wasn't a man who was comfortable with emotions of any sort.  

Aoshi managed a small smidgen of a smile for her and squeezed her hand back.  "Thank you, Misao."

Misao wanted to rip out her hair.  _You dolt!  You could have kissed your _

_Aoshi-sama and you let your chance slip!  Okay, calm down.  Calm down.  It's not my only chance.  We will have to kiss during the play.  Alright, okay._

Okina whined when Aoshi and Misao skipped the kissing part.  "Wait!  Hold it!  Why was there no kiss?  There is a kiss in the script!"

Misao smiled and blushed a bit.  "Well, Jiya.  Kissing is a little intimate, so Aoshi and I decided to wait and not do that scene until it was vital."

Okina rolled his eyes.  "But if you two get used to doing the scene without the kiss, you could very well forget it during the performance!"

Shiro spoke up from his spot on the floor.  "Yeah!  If I was up there, I sure as heck wouldn't forget the kiss!  Misao's a pretty girl.  You don't get a chance to kiss someone like that every day!  And a spirited pretty girl at that!  She's one-of-a-kind."

Misao blushed beet red.  "Shiro!"

Shiro raised his hands.  "Hey, you can't hurt me.  I'm already banged up with my broken ankle."

Misao felt as though steam was coming out of her ears she was so embarrassed.  Aoshi looked down at her and his mind began to change gears.  _She is beautiful.  She's grown so much in the past few years and I was so blind with self-pity and remorse that I missed it._

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Kaoru and Kenshin had gone for a walk and everyone else was helping in the Aoiya.  Even Sanosuke and Yahiko were put to work clearing the tables when customers left.  

So Aoshi and Misao were alone.  Alone and rehearsing.  Misao's stomach kept fluttering.  Usually she was fine when alone with Aoshi and even loved those moments, but right now, she was terribly nervous.

"Okay, um, Aoshi-sama, where do you want to start rehearsing?"

Aoshi flipped through the script.  "Are you fine with the opening scenes?"

"Yes.  I'm good with my lines until the ball.  I don't get confused with the lines really, but their placement."

Aoshi nodded and stood, offering a hand to Misao to help her up.  She 

daintily accepted and Aoshi realized that even with all her training she had incredibly soft and small hands.  He swallowed hard and led her to the middle of the room.  "Okay, let's pretend you've just arrived and we're at the ball."

Misao glanced at the script to refresh her mind and they began that scene.  After the quick hello, Aoshi went to dance with her and she began to giggle.  "I'm sorry, Aoshi-sama.  This just makes me kind of nervous and my reaction is to laugh.  I'm sorry."

Aoshi tilted a small smile at the young woman and stepped back a space.  The giggles settled down and Aoshi stepped close to her again.  He lifted her chin to look at him.  "Are you okay now?"

Misao nodded yes, but she was biting her lower lip and her eyes still held a trace of laughter in them.  Aoshi felt himself being drawn closer and closer until his lips touched hers.  Aoshi realized what he was doing in the space of two heartbeats and pulled back in shock.  "I'm sorry, Misao.  I'm very sorry." 

He quickly made his way to his room and closed the door, his mind in turmoil.  He wasn't really ashamed of what he had done.  He wanted to kiss Misao and he did.  He didn't think it a mistake, but he did realize a little too late that retreating would hurt her.  What bothered him the most was that he lost control of himself and kissed her.  Usually his unbreakable self restraint would keep him in check, but this time he allowed himself to indulge in his fantasy.  And then that struck him as well.  

Fantasy?  Did he really have these thoughts about Misao before?  He went to the temple to meditate, unsure on how to handle this situation.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Misao sat in the room she and Aoshi were practicing in.  _What just happened?  Aoshi-sama kissed me and then ran away apologizing.  He thought it was a mistake!  My first kiss and he calls it a mistake!  What an idiot!  An idiot with amazingly soft and warm lips, but an idiot all the same.  _

Misao decided to go to her room and study her lines.  She would see Aoshi later that evening and they could discuss things then.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A/N:  Mm-hm.  Little Misao and her Aoshi-sama are getting a bit cozy.  And just what is going on inside Aoshi's head?  I'm desperately trying for 

a new approach here, but I think just about everything's been done before with Aoshi's thoughts on Misao.  Oh well.  I'll just do my best on this one and see how it turns out.  Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review!  Hugs & Kisses!


	7. Dancing And Kisses

To Save The Aoiya

Chapter 7: Dancing and Kisses

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Misao sat reading her lines over and over.  She mumbled them as she read, trying to implant them in her mind.  She took a glance out the window and realized in surprise that it was starting to get dark outside.  "Well, shoot!  I thought it was still just around noon."  

She put her script away and bounded down the stairs to help with dinner.  As she entered the kitchen she blushed when she noticed Aoshi coming in from the temple.  She managed a quick smile and nodded at him in greeting.  

As he passed her he whispered in her ear.  "We need to talk.  Meet me in my room before dinner."

Misao nodded and went to start preparing the soup.  All the while, her mind was busy cranking out possible scenarios.  _Okay, he's disgusted and the kissing scenes will be deleted.  Or he liked what happened and it's going to happen again.  Or he'll say it was a mistake and we'll keep the kisses in the play but it will never happen again outside of that.  _

And on and on went the thoughts until she had worked herself into some sort of frenzy.  She stirred at the soup violently, the contents splashing over the rim of the pot at times.  And then she attacked the rice, while cleaning it she managed to mash most of it into an unrecognizable blob.  When she picked up a knife to cut the meat, Omasu rescued it.  

"Misao, stop!  What have you done to dinner?!"

Misao's eyes widened as she finally realized what she'd been doing.  "I'm so sorry, Omasu.  I was thinking about something else and I just didn't pay attention to what I was doing."  She grinned sheepishly at the older woman as she glared back.  

"Now I have to start all over.  This rice is inedible and I doubt the soup is either."  She grabbed a ladle and took a taste and then ran to the door to spit it out.  "What did you put in there?!"

Misao shrugged her shoulders.  "I honestly don't know.  Like I said, I wasn't paying attention."

Omasu closed her eyes and pointed at the door.  "Go now.  I'll get Okon to help with dinner."

Misao began to protest.  "But it's my night to cook!"

Omasu just shook her head.  "There is no way I'm letting you near the cooking supplies right now.  You would've poisoned us all at the rate you were going."

Misao trudged up the stairs.  _Guess that means it's time to face the music._

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

She knocked softly on Aoshi's door, softly enough that he wasn't entirely sure whether someone knocked or his mind was playing tricks on him.  He hesitantly called out, quietly so if no one was there he wouldn't seem insane.  "Enter."

Misao slid the shoji open, stepping in timidly.  "You wanted to talk?"

Aoshi gestured for her to sit on the mat across from him.  "I just wanted to apologize for what happened earlier.  I didn't want to do anything you didn't approve of."

Misao's jaw dropped slightly.  "I helped write the script in the first place.  If I or any of us had a problem with kissing, we wouldn't have put it in there."

Aoshi took a deep breath.  "Misao, we weren't at a kissing scene when it happened."

Misao's eyes widened the slightest.  "Oh."  She opened her mouth to ask another question and then shut it again.  She tried a second time and Aoshi spoke first.  

"I wanted to.  I don't know what possessed me at that moment, but I wanted to do it.  I don't want you to misinterpret it though.  I know I'm attracted to you, but I don't know---I don't think---"  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  "I don't know what I'm feeling right now aside from that."

Misao smiled softly at him.  _Poor Aoshi.  He's been hiding his emotions for so long that he doesn't know how to deal with them or how to classify them._

"That's fine, Aoshi-sama.  I'm not going to push you into something you don't want.  Just let me know when you figure this out."  Misao stood to leave and Aoshi stood as well, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"Misao, the main reason I was worried about the kiss scene earlier—well, there were two reasons actually.  The first was that I didn't want you to blur reality and fiction together when I kissed you.  The second was—", he cleared his throat uncomfortably.  "I know it's your first kiss.  I didn't think it was fair to you for it to be a public thing."

Misao didn't know whether to yell at him for insulting her intelligence with his first reason or to hug him for his very considerate second reason.  She settled for a slight bow.  "Thank you, Aoshi-sama.  I was a little uncomfortable with that, but it has to be done, right?  And now that I've had a kiss it's okay."

Aoshi felt terrible suddenly.  _Damn it.  Her first kiss was just a quick peck that I apologized for.  What a jerk I am.  _

"Misao, that wasn't a real kiss."  He didn't know what possessed him this time, but he was kissing her again.  Although this one was far different from the one earlier during rehearsal.  He moved his hand from the back of her neck to the small of her back, lifting her a bit so he didn't have to bend as far.  That action however, pressed Misao closer to him and she in response pulled his head closer so their lips were pushed together tightly.  Aoshi and Misao both went to deepen the kiss at the same time, emotions flowing through both of them that they never experienced before.  

Misao pulled back, regretting that she needed air.  Aoshi opened his eyes and gave her a small grin.  He set her back on her feet and rested his forehead against hers.  "There.  I hope that didn't disappoint."

Misao smiled shyly.  "It was very nice, Aoshi-sama."  She wanted to punch herself in the face.  _Nice?  What the hell am I saying?  It was wonderful!_  "Actually it was better than nice.  I just don't know how to describe it."

Aoshi chuckled slightly and stood up straight.  Misao straightened her crooked obi and then a ponderous look crossed her face.  "Aoshi-sama, that's not how we're supposed to kiss in the play, is it?"

Aoshi shook his head.  "No, in the play it's more like this."  He gently took her chin and tilted her head up, putting his lips gently on hers and not moving much.  

Misao sighed.  "That's it?"

Aoshi smirked at her disappointed tone.  "I'm afraid so.  Anything else would be too much in public."

Misao began to head towards the door.  "I better go.  I should set the table for dinner.  See you later, Aoshi-sama."

Aoshi called out to her.  "Misao?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you drop the 'sama'?  Don't you think it's a little too formal now?  After all, I'm supposed to play your boyfriend for the next six weeks."

Misao giggled at his teasing.  "Okay.  Aoshi."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Misao stood on stage, trying to get her lines straight in her mind.  Okina called for everyone to be quiet.  "All right!  We'll take it from when Cinderella and the prince first meet at the ball."

Misao took her curtsey position and Aoshi slowly walked up to her.  He gently tilted her chin up so he could see her face and then they began to spin around dancing.

Misao felt like she was floating on air.  _Oh my god!  I'm dancing with Aoshi!  I'm really close to Aoshi!  Feel those muscles, baby.  Grrr._

As they glided, they spoke their lines until the singing started.  Misao almost tripped over herself as Aoshi began to sing.  _Damn, that's sexy!  What a voice!_  His deep rumble filled the room as he sang the beautiful lyrics he had written.  

Ten minutes ago I saw you

I looked up when you came through the door

My head started reeling

You gave me the feeling

The room had no ceiling or floor

Ten minutes ago I met you

And we murmured our 'how-do-you-do's

I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms

And to sing out the news

I have found her she's an angel 

With the dust of the stars in her eyes

We are dancing

We are flying 

And she's taking me back to the skies

In the arms of my love I'm flying

Over mountain and meadow and glen

And I like it so well that for all I can tell

I may never come down again

I may never come down to earth again

Misao's lyrics were next, but she just couldn't do it.  "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  I just forgot what the words were.  I know the song, but your singing just sort of, took me by surprise and my brain shut down."   She gave a nervous laugh at her own ramblings.  "Anyway, I'm sorry."

Aoshi wanted to grin at her, but settled for a quirked brow.  "Come on, Misao.  We want to hear you sing."  
  


Misao blushed.  _Is he teasing?!  Aoshi-sama—oh---Aoshi is---HE'S TEASING!!  _Her mind squealed in delight.  Her beloved Aoshi being human is exactly what she was wanting.  Teasing was definitely a good thing, especially if it was her he was teasing.  She was in heaven.

She composed herself and looked at everyone as if they were beneath her, playing the part of a diva.  "I'll sing when I feel like it.  You can't rush perfection."  She winked at Aoshi and he felt himself being drawn to her again.  

_How does she do it?  I feel nothing but family affection for her for years and suddenly I'm putty with a simple smile.  She's amazing._

Okina chuckled at Misao's declaration and decided they needed to practice a new scene.  _Alright, Okina.  Time to pull out the stops.  _He flipped through the script and spoke again.  "I think we really need to work on this kiss scene at the ball when they express their feelings to each other."  

Misao blushed and Aoshi had to summon a lot of will power to keep his calm.  Okina watched with avid interest as they read their lines.  _Come on you two.  Let's have it!_  The entire group was riveted to the scene, hoping it happened.  They were certain it would make Aoshi realize his feelings.  

The tension mounted as Aoshi stepped closer to Misao.  Closer, closer, he's really close.  But then Misao pulled away, saying one of her lines.  Okina wanted to vent some frustration by bopping everyone in the head, innocent or not.  He calmed down when he realized that was part of the script and kept watching.  Then, the world stopped.

All breathing ceased, the crickets went quiet, heartbeats stopped for a few precious seconds.  Aoshi tilted Misao's chin up, their eyes met, and then their lips.  A brief caress that spoke volumes to the two who were sharing 

it.  Misao could feel his longing; his love for her that even he didn't know was there.  It made her heart soar in bliss.  And Aoshi felt her promise of unconditional love, her promise to give everything, her very soul if needed and ask nothing but his love in return.  It all changed in that tiny bit of time.  Aoshi took a ragged breath when it ended, feeling choked up for the moment.  

The room erupted in cheers.  

"That was amazing!"

"I forgot to breathe!"

"You guys were so believable!"

"Wonderful de gozaru yo!"

"Woohoo!  Go weasel and icicle!"

"Ohohohoh!"

Misao blushed at the praise.  Okina signaled for all to be quiet and called an end to rehearsal for the night.  

Aoshi glanced at the wall clock and sighed.  "It's late.  I'm going to bed.  Goodnight, Misao."

Misao almost shivered at the way he said her name.  "Goodnight, Aoshi."

But, sleep was far from coming.  And the night held many more surprises.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A/N:  I surprise myself sometimes!  I liked this chapter!  I changed a lot from my first draft and I think the results are good.  The first draft was rather, blah.  Hmm.  Just to rest some fears from where you may THINK this is headed, my rating will not change.  My last line in no way indicates they'll be---doing stuff---later on.  We're not heading into that territory.  Maybe someday, when I'm less of a coward.  *^__^*  (BLUSH)  Please review!  Hugs & Kisses!


	8. Moonlight

I'M SORRY! I know, you may be saying, "Gee whiz, Kay-san! It's 2006, where have you been for three years!" And I'll tell you. I had a baby! Yep. In early '04, my husband and I found out we were expecting and our daughter was born in October '04. And boy will pregnancy keep ya busy. Doctors, shopping, extra hours at work to cover the shopping. It was maddening! But, now I have a little extra time to write while my girl naps. I do want to apologize to those who were loyal readers and reviewers. It wasn't fair to you to leave you hanging for so long. I hope you guys are still out there and can forgive me. I just hope I haven't lost my mojo! Read on and I hope you still enjoy!

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Warning: OOCness abounds in this chapter! I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. But it's WAFFy and you can't have WAFF with Aoshi unless it's OOC. So there ya go.

To Save The Aoiya

Chapter 8: Moonlight

Misao flung back her covers with a sigh. "Why can't I sleep?" _Duh, baka! You just had an amazing kiss with Aoshi during rehearsal and an even better kiss with him in his room before that!_ She blushed and raised a trembling hand to her lips, remembering how it felt to have his lips on hers. She lay back down, trying to get comfortable. After tossing and turning every which way she could think of, she flung her covers off again. "Maybe a little fresh air will help." She padded downstairs in only her sleeping yukata and slipped out into Okina's garden.

Aoshi was sitting by his window overlooking the garden. Usually he could will his body to sleep, a talent he learned during the war. Sleep when you can, whether you want to or not. You may not have the luxury later. He kept replaying events with Misao earlier. Before he would have been ashamed to kiss her the way he did, but for some reason all he felt was peace with his decisions tonight. _Maybe it's time to let the past go and move on. Move on with Misao at my side._ He stiffened as he saw a small figure clad only in a white yukata move into the garden. _Misao._

Misao strolled slowly by the different varieties of flowers, gently trailing her fingers along the petals. She made her way to a bench and sat on the grass, leaning her head on the bench to look at the stars. She blinked rapidly as a tall dark-headed figure towered over her. "Hello, Misao."

Misao smiled softly at him. "Hi, Aoshi. Can't sleep?"

The former okashira shook his head. "You?"

Misao shook her head as well. Aoshi moved around the bench and settled himself on the grass next to Misao. They sat in comfortable silence for some time before Misao spoke. "Aoshi, are you okay with the kissing scenes?"

Aoshi's mind reeled. He started to worry that maybe she didn't want them. "I'm fine with them. Why do you ask?"

Misao fiddled with her fingers. "You just don't show much emotion. I know it's only a play, but I didn't want you to feel forced into the scenes. We can take them out if you wish." _Why am I offering! I don't want to lose those scenes! But then again, I don't want to force him into anything. Darn my conscience!_

Aoshi smiled slightly at her flush cheeks and the small teeth that were biting into her lower lip. "I'm fine with them. Are you comfortable with it?"_ Please say yes. Wait a minute. I really DO want those scenes with Misao._

Misao nodded. "I just…If I tell you something, do you promise not to think less of me?"

Aoshi was thoroughly intrigued now. A slight nod was his answer.

Misao lowered her head so he couldn't see her eyes and she wouldn't have to see his reaction. "It's just that, I've wanted you to kiss me for so long. I completely understand it's just a play and I'm not blurring reality and fiction." She allowed herself a frown, remembering their earlier conversation in his room. "But, I just know that once it's over and the play is done, I'm going to miss having that closeness with you. Now that you have kissed me, I feel greedy." She giggled nervously. "How stupid of me."

Aoshi's eyes widened the slightest and then his mischievous streak made its way to the front. "So, are you saying you _liked_ the kisses?"

With her head still bowed Misao gave a slight nod and then her bottom lip started to tremble. "This is humiliating. I wish I hadn't said anything. Now it's going to be awkward between us."

A surge of compassion swept Aoshi and he scooted closer. "I'm glad you said it. It means I can do things like this outside of the play." He tilted her chin up and brushed his lips against hers. Just a slight caress, light enough that Misao wondered if it had really been there at all. She blinked, noticed he was hovering just above her, and made her move. She pushed forward and met his lips with hers. When he didn't back away, she timidly placed her hands on his sides and he jumped back. At first, she thought he was recoiling, realizing what they were doing. But, when she registered he had sucked in a breath at the same time, she got a wicked glint in her eye.

"Aoshi, are you ticklish?"

Aoshi just eyed her, afraid to answer. He didn't want to lie, but he knew he would be tickled senseless if he told her the truth. Misao smirked and Aoshi got nervous. _Crap, she knows!_ And that was the only thought he could form before Misao was attacking. She only got a few pokes in before Aoshi caught her wrists. "That was rather naughty, Misao. Now, I get to decide how you can make it up to me."

Misao tried to hold in her grin, but her discovery was too much fun to think about. She waited patiently while Aoshi pondered. "I know. I wanted to hear you sing earlier but you didn't. Let's have it." He got up and offered a hand to help her stand. Misao accepted and then raised one eyebrow. "I just have to sing? That's it?"

Aoshi wrapped one arm around her waist and grabbed her hand with his other hand. "We'll rehearse the whole song and the dance." Misao nodded and put her free hand on his shoulder. _At least I get to hear Aoshi sing again!_ She didn't realize how different and more intimate it would be with them alone in the moon's glow.

Aoshi:

Ten minutes ago I saw you

I looked up when you came through the door

My head started reeling you gave me the feeling

The room had no ceiling or floor

Ten minutes ago I met you

And we murmured our 'how do you dos'

I wanted to ring out the bells

And fling out my arms

And to sing out the news

I have found her

She's an angel

With the dust of the stars in her eyes

We are dancing, we are flying

And she's taking me back to the skies!

In the arms of my love I'm flying

Over mountain and meadow and glen

And I like it so well that for all I can tell

I may never come down again

I may never come down to earth again.

As soon as Misao started to sing, Aoshi's eyes widened slightly with surprise. Her voice was high and beautiful and clear like bells, the perfect counterpoint to his low rumble.

Misao:

Ten minutes ago I saw you

You looked up when I came through the door

My head started reeling you gave me the feeling

The room had no ceiling or floor

Ten minutes ago I met you

And we murmured our 'how do you dos'

I wanted to ring out the bells

And fling out my arms

And to sing out the news

Aoshi:

I have found her

Misao:

I have found him.

He's the light of the stars in my eyes.

Aoshi:

We are dancing

Misao:

We are flying

Aoshi:

And she's taking me back to the skies

Misao:

In the arms of my love I'm flying

Over mountain and meadow and glen

Aoshi:  
And I like it so well that for all I can tell

I may never come down again

Both:

I may never come down to earth again.

Aoshi stopped spinning them around as the song ended. He brushed a lock of Misao's hair behind her ear and realized for the first time that her hair was down. Free of its braid, it fell in waves to her knees. He took a moment and noticed the white yukata, the pink cheeks, the slightly red lips, the shining green eyes and the way the moonlight made her pale skin glow. She seemed to be highlighted and it took his breath away. He moved the hand that was holding hers so he could thread their fingers together.

Misao started chewing her lower lip, wondering what Aoshi was thinking. He bent forward to whisper in her ear. "You look like an angel."

Misao gave him a slight smile and put a small hand on his cheek once he pulled back. He turned his head to kiss her palm and Misao felt her breath catch. "You could make this moment perfect by kissing me."

And he did. He dipped his head forward and Misao stretched to meet him. A brief brush of lips, then a small and chaste meeting, and then a harder lingering kiss. Misao wrapped her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. Aoshi put both hands on Misao's waist, and then moved them around to her back, feeling her hair brushing the backs of his hands and arms. Aoshi deepened the kiss and Misao gasped. He traced her lips with his tongue and Misao timidly copied him. When Aoshi moaned at the feeling, he gently pushed Misao back. "Too much. It'll be too much too fast if we don't stop there."

Misao noted his ragged breathing with satisfaction as she herself gasped for air. She decided to tease him with his own words. "So, are you saying you _liked_ the kisses?"

Aoshi quirked an eyebrow at her. "You may look like an angel, but you're definitely more of a devil."

Misao giggled and wrapped her arms around Aoshi's waist. She gave a surprise squeak as he lifted her up and sat on the bench, depositing her in his lap. She kept her arms around his waist and gave a contented sigh, laying her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Aoshi."

He rested his cheek on top of her head and moved his arms so he was embracing her. "For what?"

"For playing the prince, for opening up, for giving me my first kiss, for making me feel special, for just being you." She gave a sleepy yawn and fell asleep. Aoshi decided to wait a few minutes before taking her inside. He enjoyed the feeling of having her so close. He just didn't want it to end yet.

A group of people that were cluttered around a window tiptoed away with a sigh. Okon smiled at Okina. "I think this is working."

Okina tugged on his beard bow, a smile crinkling his lips and eyes. "I think you're right."

They all scrambled to bed to avoid being discovered.

Aoshi climbed the steps quietly, Misao snuggled against his chest. He set her gently on her futon and pulled the covers over her. He brushed his lips against her forehead, cheeks and mouth before slipping out the door. "Oyasumi, my angel."

A/N: And now my teeth hurt. Oh well. I guess I'm just in a sappy mood. It's not _so_ bad, is it? (Readers glare while getting cavities filled in.) Hehe, sorry. Anyway, please review! Suggestions, comments, death threats, I'll take 'em all! Do it because ya love me! Hugs & Kisses!


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